


The Dinner Party

by liferuinedbyrenner



Category: Jeremy Renner - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Smut, RPF, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-25
Updated: 2014-06-25
Packaged: 2018-02-06 05:39:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1846357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liferuinedbyrenner/pseuds/liferuinedbyrenner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Grace hasn't seen Jeremy for weeks and when they attend the same party they still find it hard spending any time together. Especially in front of his mother.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Dinner Party

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I don't own JLR only Grace. Don't know if Jeremy owns a home in Modesto.. But why wouldn't he? Of course this is an AU.  
> Thanks: Special thanks goes to my friend Kath for Beta'ing it for me and filling in the blanks my brain couldn't quite fill.

Grace’s head was all over the place. It had been a while since she had catered a party. Not since leaving college and needing the extra money to get her business started. But she didn't see it as a step back for her. This party was at the Mayor’s house, honouring the best of Modesto. It was a big deal. She was thinking about the spread she was going to put on when she re-read the invitation and finally understood. At first she thought she was only there as a caterer and never thought for one minute she was a guest!

Grace hadn’t heard from Jeremy for a few days. He was away working and with their opposite schedules, Grace had opened a restaurant in LA and Jeremy had just started filming a new movie, they hadn't had chance to catch up. She just wanted to hear his voice say her name but they’d both been so busy lately. Before he left Jeremy had asked her an important question. To move to LA permanently and move in with him. Grace wasn’t sure, even if they had been dating for a few months, she didn't want to give up her independence so early in their relationship. She needed more time to think. So being away from him may have been hard but it gave her time to sort it all out in her head. 

Tonya peered around the door, seeing how many famous people she could name and was struggling to find any she could recognise. Her head turned as she heard Grace shouting behind her. The kitchen staff were from the restaurant but the waiting staff were from an agency and not accustomed to Grace’s level of perfection. 

“No, no! The canapés go out first. Jesus who trained you people?” She shouted across the kitchen, not caring if anyone outside heard her. 

Tonya turned, heading back inside. Her friend's face was bright red, showing that she would blow her top again over the slightest mishap.

“Hey,” she said. “Take it easy!”

The look on Grace’s face turned from defcon 5 to defcon 1 in an instant. 

“Take it easy? How can I take it easy? Look at this mess!” 

Grace motioned her hand around her, only seeing chaos. A few waitresses were cowering in a corner, too scared to even say anything. 

Tonya stepped forward, grabbing her friend by the arm, forcing her to stop for a moment. She turned her attention to a male waiter. “Just go before I let her loose again,” Tonya said.

Grace stood there, unable to move, frustrated.

“Calm down!” Tonya added. “Everything is perfect. You're just freaking out because…” Grace shook her head, stopping Tonya mid-sentance. 

“Don’t say it.” 

“Because Jeremy is gonna be here,” Tonya said it anyway. 

Grace looked at her friend, her terror had been given a name and his name was Jeremy Renner. 

“He is coming, isn’t he?” 

The chef shrugged. 

“I left him a message this morning but he never got back to me!”

Both women turned, hearing clapping and cheers coming from the main part of the mayor's house. 

“Oh god!” Grace stuttered. “I can’t do this. I’m nobody.”

Tonya smiled at her friend, squeezing her hand. 

“Why do you always doubt yourself? The people here don’t think your a nobody. And I for one know that you're not a nobody. I hate it when you say that.” Tonya said, her voice forceful. “Besides what would Jeremy say if he heard you talking like that?” she whispered under her breath.

Grace blushed as she recalled the action Jeremy took the last time she doubted herself. She wasn't able to let her friend in on that secret.

Tonya shook her head and rolled her eyes at her friend. She always managed to exasperate her.

“Nevermind. You should go and get ready. I can handle things here!”

Grace looked behind her, seeing her dress hanging up a few feet away. The very expensive dress she had bought in LA the last time she had visited the restaurant. The dress she had spent a fortnight trying to fit into. 

Tonya smiled as Grace ran her finger down the dress cover. 

“Go on Gracie, go and put it on.”

The pastry chef heard more clapping outside and peeked her head around the door.

“Oh no!”

Grace’s head snapped back.

“What? What is it?”

A look of panic spread across Grace’s face again.

“You remember how you felt when he brought your parents to the restaurant. And you said you were just glad he didn’t bring his mother…?“

Tonya’s voice trailed off, catching her friend's stare as she turned around.

“But on the plus side honey he does look hot!” 

Grace began to pace around the kitchen, bumping into waitresses who failed in jumping out of the way. 

“I still can’t believe you haven’t met her yet!” 

“He’s doing this on purpose!” Grace said, barely able to speak properly. 

Her head turned back slightly, a smile curling on her lips.

“What’s he wearing?” She asked.

Tonya smiled at her friend.

“Can’t stay mad at him for long, can you?! It’s black, 3 piece, and a black tie.”

“I swear to god he does it on purpose!” Grace voice betraying her attempt at a cool exterior. 

She grew quiet as several waitresses passed by them carrying trays of food. Standing next to Tonya, Grace looked out at the party.

“Where?” She asked, gripping her friends shoulder, tightly.

Tonya took a step forward, pointing her finger to a corner of the room where the Mayor himself was standing. 

“There, with the Mayor and his wife,”

Grace followed her finger, smiling as she saw him. Tonya had been on the nose, he did look hot and she felt her heart melt a little as he smiled at something the Mayor said. 

As the waitresses moved around, Jeremy’s eyes followed them as though he was looking for someone. He stopped one of them, whispering in his ear as he passed. The waiter pointed towards the kitchen, making the two women panic. 

“Oh god, he’s coming this way!”

Grace retreated back into the kitchen, forcing Tonya against the door.

“I’m not ready! You have to stall him.” Grace said.

“How?” 

Grace looked around the kitchen in a blind panic. A smile on her face as she picked up a tray of food, shoving it into her friend's arms.

“Here! Now go out there and stall him.” 

Tonya looked down at the tray of food, smiling. 

“Girl, you have it bad don't ya?” she asked, although she already knew the answer. "I'm on it!"

Grace stared after her, knowing that she was right. She had it bad and tonight everyone in the Mayor's house was going to know it too. It was going to be written all over her face whenever his name was brought up in conversation, when she saw him and when, eventually, they would finally get to see each other for the first time in weeks. All played out in front of everyone there. 

“Go!” Grace shouted just as the waiter Jeremy spoke to entered the kitchen.

The two of them stared at him as though he’d killed someone.

“What?” 

Grace took the empty tray off him, handing him another, shoving him back outside. 

“Now you!” She said to Tonya.

“Okay okay. I wouldn’t do this for just anyone you know?!”

“I know and I love you for it!”

Grace’s eyes fell to the door, urging her friend to walk through it. She opened it a little, looking out at the party. Jeremy was standing near the door to the kitchen having been waylaid by the Mayor. Grace pushed her friend out of the kitchen, almost knocking the two of them over. The chef smiled to herself as she saw him. 

Tonya watched as the Mayor left Jeremy’s side. She raised her hand, offering the food to him. “Crab puff?”

He looked at her and smiled, shaking his head. 

“No thanks Tonya, is Gracie here?” He asked, looking back in the direction of the kitchen. 

Tonya smiled the smile of a woman who was good at pleasing others. 

“You just missed her. She’s…gone to get ready.”

“What do you mean, ready? She’s not dressed yet?”

Tonya shook her head and smiled. "C'mon you know what she's like. Everything had to be just so! She’s been preparing this dinner for weeks. Plus she's been in the kitchen since 3am this morning. The only time she's left today is when she went to have her hair done. And that was only in a room upstairs, with the insistence of the Mayor's wife!”

She looked at Jeremy, seeing the concern on his face. He worked hard, missing out on precious sleep and seeing those he loved. He didn't want Grace to have to do the same. 

“I’ve seen the dress, its gorgeous.” Tonya attempted to distract his thoughts. She could tell he was worried about her. 

~

Grace sneaked out of the kitchen through the back door, making her way upstairs to one of the rooms where the Mayor's wife said she could change. She ran her hand down the dress. It had been an impulse purchase. Seeing it in the window as she passed by, needing to have it. As soon as Grace tried it on, she knew that the next man she wanted to see her in it was Jeremy. Everything had to be perfect. The dress, the matching shoes, bag, lingerie. And her hair. Having it coloured and curled. Long flowing curls down to just below her shoulders. 

When she stood in front of the mirror, fully assembled, clutching her purse, she realised her hands were shaking. 

“It’s now or never!” she muttered to herself, turning and heading downstairs.

~

“She wasn’t sure you were going to make it.” Tonya confided to Jeremy. She'd been by his side for the last 10 minutes and could feel the eyes of everyone around her fixed on the tray in her hand. Everyone looked at her hungrily, wondering why she hadn’t been moving around. 

“I wanted it to be a surprise,” Jeremy said.

A smile crept onto Tonya’s face as she saw a flash of Red coming down the stairs. She recognised the dress a mile off. “You're the one whose in for a surprise!”

Tonya turned Jeremy around, pointing him in the direction of the doorway. There was an announcer standing at the bottom of the steps, announcing people as they entered the party. “Miss Grace Adams,” he said simply.

Jeremy drew a deep breath, his mouth fell open as he took in the sight of Grace in that dress. He couldn't take his eyes off her as she walked into the room. 

Grace walked in slowly, her new shoes still pinching a little. But as they matched her dress she had to have them! 

Her eyes looked around the room, looking for him but not wanting that to be obvious. She spotted Jeremy’s mother Valerie and felt her stomach churn. She held her clutch to her waist hoping that her nerves would settle. She hoped Valerie would think her good enough for her son. Although at times, Grace didn’t think so herself. She chided herself for thinking that. Knowing what Tonya, and Jeremy, would say if they knew she was putting herself down again. 

Then she saw him, smiling as their eyes locked onto each others. Now she felt even more sick. But there was no time for backing out now. She wanted to run back into the safety of the kitchen but she forced herself to concentrate on her breathing. She patted down her dress which clung to her breasts, waist and thighs but then fanned out into a fishtail bottom. She wriggled a little as she stood up straight and started walking. She was accustomed to wearing formal wear in the restaurant but nothing like this. 

Jeremy excused himself from Tonya and began making his way through the crowds towards her. He was still unable to take his eyes off the vision in front of him. 

Just as they got close enough to almost touch, the Mayor and his wife intercepted Grace, standing in front of her, blocking Jeremy from greeting her.

“Miss Adams,” the Mayor said. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet.” Grace could see Jeremy smiling behind the Mayor, anticipating being the one that the Mayor was going to introduce her to. 

Just then the Mayor wrapped his arm around Grace and lead her across the room, away from Jeremy. Looking at him over her shoulder she mouthed “I’m sorry”, to which he nodded his acknowledgement. 

Jeremy could only watch in disappointment as the Mayor and his wife moved Grace around the room, talking to everyone that they met. It occurred to Jeremy that the Mayor only seemed to be introducing Grace to men. And not men who were married. Maybe he'd heard that Grace was single and he was trying to match-make. He watched her chatting politely, laughing at the right moment of all the jokes. 

He picked up a drink from the bar, turning to check where Grace was in her circuit around the room. He couldn't hide his smile as he saw her moving with the Mayors wife towards his mother. 

Grace felt her hands begin to shake as she got nearer. Everyone knew who she was. As famous in Modesto as her son. Her head rose as she heard Jeremy’s voice call out to his mother. All of them standing around each other. All equally as nervous, not knowing what to say. Grace looked at him, smiling as she felt his hand brush against the small of her back. Skin on skin as her dress had a very low back. The first touch in 6 weeks. Grace felt her heart stop and then start to race, as though a zing of electricity had passed from his fingertips into her spine. A ragged breath escaped Grace's lips as he slipped between her and his mother to introduce them. She held out a shaking hand which Valerie took and clutched in both of her hands. "It's so nice to finally meet you Grace." She said with a smile.

~

Later that evening as the string quartet in the corner of the room began to play, Grace felt her heart pounding in her ears as Jeremy wrapped his arms around her and pulled her onto the dancefloor. All eyes on the two of them.

“You look beautiful, Gracie.” Jeremy said as he lifted her chin so she would look at him. She had barely glanced at him all evening. Thinking that if she didn't look at him then maybe it wouldn't be obvious to everyone in the room how she felt about him. 

Her heart pounded a little faster at his sweet words. Not making her nerves diminish as they were intended. 

“Thank you!” Was all she could manage to say. Not being able to say what she really wanted. 

They swayed in the middle of the dance floor, pressed together, Jeremy's hand on the small of her back, her hand stroking the hairs at the nape of his neck. Grace looked at their hands clasped together. Remembering those hands of his. How they had explored her body so many times. Those fingers teasing her, taking her to the brink and beyond. She felt herself blush at the thought and she forced herself to look at the walls of the Mayor's stunning home. 

“I’ve wanted to touch you all night,” he whispered so close she could feel his breath hot on her ear. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to be momentarily removed from the situation. 

“I know. I felt the same. This is surreal. It feels weird being this close to you and not being able to talk to you properly. Everyone thinking we’ve only just met.” Grace said.

She looked around the room, seeing Tonya near the door to the kitchen talking to Jeremy’s mother. “Do they really think they're fooling anyone?” Tonya asked, Valerie just shook her head, smiling.

“I love this one,” Grace smiled as the quartet seamlessly segued into another song. 

Jeremy grinned as he realised what song it was. It was the smile Grace referred to as his panty dropping smile because it drove her crazy, and he knew it. “You were always on my mind, You were always on my mind.”

Grace sighed, shaking her head. “Don’t sing to me Hollywood.” 

Jeremy leaned in, whispering in her ear. “I thought you liked it when I sang to you. Doesn’t it make you…?” He raised his eyebrows in that sweet way that made his forehead crinkle. 

Grace smiled to herself and pulled back, giving him a look. The same look she had given him when he had invited her parents to the restaurant to meet him. Now here they were, dancing closely just a few feet away from his mother. And he was singing softly in her ear. 

“You’re not being fair,” she whispered. 

“Nothing about this night is fair Gracie. Being this close to you, but not being able to hold you without the pretense of a dance, that isn't fair." Jeremy sighed and twirled her. "But I'll take the dance anyway." He pressed her tightly to him. “I’ve missed holding you Gracie." 

Grace felt herself start to well up at his words. She maneuvered Jeremy so that he had his back to his mother, her thinking was that if she was forced to look upon Valerie, the woman she most wanted to make a good impression on, she certainly wouldn't cry in front of her. 

At the end of the song Grace made her escape to the bar. Her cheeks were flushed from the dancing and the scrutiny she felt from all the eyes on her. 

Jeremy followed closely behind her and smiled as he heard her soft voice order a vodka. Without thinking about their environment he trailing his hand down her bare back absentmindedly, forcing her to suck in a ragged breath. 

"What are you doing?" Grace asked as calmly as she could. 

Jeremy wrapped his hand around her waist and leaned into her, pressing his face against her neck. He breathed in the scent of her perfume and whispered “Did I tell you that dress is stunning Gracie?”

Grace’s head turned slightly, her heart beating faster as she felt his body pressed against her. 

“God I want to touch you.” He breathed heavily in her ear.

Grace sighed, her own breathing becoming more labored. She took her drink from the bar man, smiling awkwardly. She sipped her drink slowly, trying not to think about the finger marks he was undoubtedly leaving in the skin around her hips from how tight he was holding her.

“I want to unzip you out of this dress, kiss the back of your neck..”

Grace’s heart rate began to climb steadily.

“Run my hand down your spine,”

“Don’t,” Grace whispered, her hand so tight around the glass of vodka she was worried it might break. 

She could feel his soft breath against her neck. 

“Don’t what?” He asked, teasingly. 

“Not in front of all these people, including your mother!” She pleaded.

“She’s used to me by now, Gracie.” Jeremy said.

Grace turned around to face him. Looking him straight in the eye made her even more nervous. Sure that everyone was looking at them. Seeing how flustered she was and knowing that they hadn’t just met.

“So you do this all the time then? Chatting up women at parties?”

He gave her his best mischievous grin, and then making sure the bartender saw, he ran his hand over Grace’s ass. 

She practically jumped out of her skin and looked up at him. 

“Will you stop it?! Someone’s gonna see. And you never answered my question!”

Jeremy looked at her with puppy dog eyes. 

“You know me Gracie,” 

“Yeah I do Hollywood,” Grace said. 

Grace took a sip of her drink, placing her glass on the bar and moved away. Jeremy reached out his hand, pulling her back.

“Hey… You know there’s been no one else since we’ve been together?” It wasn't a question he thought he'd have to ask her, he thought she trusted him.

Grace turned to look at him. Her eyes almost filling with tears.

"But that's the point isn't it? We've not been together." She let her hand drop from his and walked across the room towards the kitchen. It’s where she felt safe, where she had complete control. Not like out there, amongst prying eyes. 

She let the door swing behind her, almost smacking Jeremy in the face as he followed.

“Hey! What’s really going on here?” he asked as they stood in the kitchen surrounded by the prying eyes and ears of the caterers and wait staff. 

Grace stood by the counter, pressing her hands into the cool familiar metal, her back to him.

“I heard them talking. About your reputation.” She turned her head slowly, not wanting to look at him but not being able to help herself. 

“Grace,” he whispered. “You knew all about me before we even met.”

“I know. But we spend so much time apart I…”

Jeremy took a step forward, resting his hand on top of hers. 

“You really think I’d hurt you like that, Gracie? This isn’t just some fling!" Jeremy seemed genuinely upset that she'd think that of him. Despite whatever she'd heard at the party, didn't she know him at all?

Jeremy pulled his hand away and Grace felt her heart stop, the distance between them seemed to stretch out as he took a step back. 

“I thought you knew me better than that?!” he said, frustrated.

She saw the hurt in his eyes. A look she'd not seen in him before, not when he wasn't acting at least. Her heart broke a little, knowing that she was responsible for that look.

“Maybe I don’t. Maybe I still have the movie star image in my head and not the sweet guy from Modesto.” 

Grace’s head turned, seeing the wait staff standing around staring at them. 

“Do I pay you to stand around doing nothing? OUT!” She shouted. 

Jeremy watched as they filed out one by one, carrying trays of food, leaving them alone, finally. He looked at Grace, having never seen her so agitated before. 

“Grace, you need to realise that I am both of those guys. But neither of them would do what those people out there would have you believe. I guess you just need to figure that out for yourself."

"I know who you are..." He cut her short.

"Do you? Because it doesn't sound like it? It's sounds like you have me confused with someone else?"

"What are you saying?" Grace immediately felt defensive, assuming she knew where he was going with this.

"You know what I'm saying Grace. You think because Scott cheated on you that I will too. I'm not him."

"Don't you think I know that?" She spat, angrily.

"No, I don't think you do Grace. And until you do, I can't keep proving myself to you. You either trust me or you don't. And nothing I say is going to change that."

With that he turned on his heel and left her standing in the kitchen alone. She expected tears to come but she just felt numb. Tonya flew in the door moments later after she'd seen Jeremy walk out. 

"What happened?" Her friend asked. It was then she dissolved. 

~

After Grace had spoken to Tonya she calmed herself by tidying up the kitchen. The familiar tasks making her feel normal again. Plus she hated leaving a kitchen in more of a mess than when she'd found it. She barely spoke to the wait staff that remained, she just said the occasional thank you to them and gave them a half hearted smile. All under Tonya's concerned and watchful gaze. 

Grace drove home in silence. Not even turning the radio on for company. She needed to have the silence so her mind could process how stupid she'd been at the party. Of course Jeremy wasn't like Scott! Her heart knew it, but sometimes reading those newspapers and seeing reports on the entertainment channels, her brain over-ruled her. She never dreamed it would all come spilling out, causing their earlier fight. How could she question his fidelity? He'd done nothing to make her doubt his commitment to her. He'd even asked her to move in with him before he went on location. Surely that was a sign that he was serious about their burgeoning relationship. 

It started to rain just as she pulled up outside her small rented condo. She'd hoped that Jeremy might be waiting for her when she got home but there was no sign of him. She had a sudden thought that maybe he'd had to catch a flight back to the East Coast, where he was filming. She never did get to ask how long he was in town for. Grace climbed out of her car, managing to duck into the house before it poured down. As it was so late, and she was so frustrated with how the evening had gone, Grace decided to go straight to bed. She listened to the rain hitting her bedroom window as she slipped herself out of her red dress. She could barely believe how stupid she felt in that thing now, in contrast to how sexy she'd felt earlier when he told her she looked beautiful. She'd hoped that he would be the one unzipping her from the fabric, especially as she had chosen it with Jeremy in mind. 

Grace slipped into her comfortable PJ shorts and tank top. She'd laid them out specially because she knew Jeremy couldn't resist her in them. Again she felt a fool for planning ahead. Now she would be wearing them to bed alone. She washed her make up off in the bathroom, brushed her teeth and hair, all on auto pilot. Her mind still thinking about the stupid fight. Even after she'd crawled into bed she lay awake, tossing and turning. Why had she listened to those people? They didn't know Jeremy. Not the real Jeremy anyway. They knew their perception of him as a big shot movie star with a different woman from one week to the next. She knew he wasn't like that. And she trusted him implicitly. This certainly wasn't how she'd pictured tonight ending anyway, alone and upset. 

Grace stared at the garment bag hanging up behind her bedroom door. Her dress inside, it was unlikely to see a party like that again. She'd been staring at the bag for half an hour, just laying in bed, not able to sleep. Her mind was racing. Why had she been so stupid? She should never have let him walk out like that. But going after him wouldn't have solved anything either. It would have just given the guests at the party something to gossip about. 

She turned to her side, seeing the empty space next to her. Recalling the last time Jeremy had been in town, sleeping in until his car arrived in the afternoon. Breakfast in bed and being so wrapped up in each other that it took them half an hour to realise the car was waiting outside. Grace closed her eyes, still feeling him beside her. His fingers running down the side of her body then down her naked back as she lay on her stomach, telling Jeremy her plans for her life, wanting to open another restaurant if the one in LA was a success. Grace smiled to herself, remembering him laughing when she mentioned all the kitchen fires she'd started as a kid, telling her mom it would be worth it when she was a famous chef. She loved his smile, that sideways smirk that was so endearing. Her cell phone started to vibrate, making Grace grab for it in her bleary eyed state.

Grace reached over to the other side of the bed, grabbing the phone off the bedside cabinet. Her heart sank again as she saw the message on her locked screen.

[text] Tonya: Hi honey. Hope I didn't wake you. Let me know what happens. I'm sure it'll all blow over in a few days. See you tomorrow. 

Grace's fingers moved quickly over the screen, replying to her friend's message.

[text] Grace: Thanks Hon. I'm still awake. I cant sleep. I'll let you know if anything happens. I doubt it will. He's probably on his way back to the airport by now. I'll see you at work.

Grace held her cell in her hand, going over Jeremy's messages, running her finger over his name. She held her breath as she read his last message, bringing a long overdue tear to roll down her cheek.

[text] Jeremy: I miss you so much. All that's getting me through these long nights is knowing I'm going to see you again soon and hold you.

Grace let the tear roll, no need to hide her emotions any more. She fell back onto her bed, letting the phone fall from her hand. She hadn't felt like his before. Not even with Scott. He had hurt her too many times for her to feel anything other than hate towards him. But Jeremy, he had done nothing to cause her to doubt his commitment to their relationship. It had all been in her head. Listening to gossip that had no foundation in any truth at all. 

She picked up her cell again, slipping out of bed. She pulled a dressing gown on as it was a chilly night with the sudden onslaught of the rain, and she headed down stairs to her kitchen. In all the crazyness of the evening, she'd forgotten to eat. Grace felt the cold floor against her bare feet as she entered her new kitchen. A gift to herself for a good year at the restaurant, making a success of the LA move. 

Grace placed her cell in the speaker dock on the kitchen counter and opened the refrigerator door. Her iTunes started to shuffle randomly as it charged. She looked through the contents of her refrigerator. She had become a little more health conscious lately, eating healthily and not snacking at the restaurant whilst she was working. Lots of fresh veg and fruits, all the stuff she secretly hated to eat. Preferring all the wrong kinds of food, for a chef it was extremely bad of her.

She smiled to herself as a packet caught her eye in the back of the fridge. It was the roll of cookie dough she'd bought for Jeremy. Since she'd learned how much of a weakness he had for it she'd always kept some in as a treat for him. There was nothing like seeing him tucking into it when he thought she wasn't looking. She was flooded with thoughts of other nights they'd spent digging in that refrigerator, it made her blush. 

Grace froze as the next track came on. It was the song Jeremy had sung to her at the party, Always On My Mind, this version by Michael Buble. She had lied to Jeremy when she said she didn't want him to sing to her, she loved it when he sang to her. He had the most amazing singing voice. After staring at the phone for what seemed like an eternity, Grace couldn't take it any longer and picked it up, turning off the music as she did so. She saw Jeremy's name on the recent call list. She hesitated but eventually gave in. It went straight to voicemail. 

"Hi. It's me. I know it's late and you're probably already on a plane. I'm sorry. I should never have doubted you," Grace paused for a moment as she heard a knock at her front door. "I've gotta go, there's someone at the door..." Grace walked across the hall from the kitchen to the main room of her house. "You know how I feel about you. Hopefully we'll get to talk later." She hung up the phone and grabbed hold of the door handle, opening the door slowly.

Standing in front of her was Jeremy. Wearing the jacket he had worn at dinner and no coat, and now soaking wet from the rain. 

"I thought you already left!" She said, flinging her arms around him, her cell still clutched in her hand. She felt Jeremy hesitate for a moment before hugging her tightly. She didn't mind that she was now soaking wet too, her satin night robe and night clothes underneath all drenched from the rain on him.

"I couldn't..." he said, pulling back to look at her, his face dripping wet.

"I thought I wasn't going to get a chance to say...." He cut her off mid sentence, with a warm wet kiss. Scooping her up in his arms, he made her feel as though she was light as a feather. He carried her up the stairs to her bedroom, setting her down on the bedroom carpet. Her robe now completely drenched. Grace was about to say that she was sorry but Jeremy cut her off again. 

"Will you shut up?"

"Shut up?" Grace asked. She wasn't sure if she should be offended or not.

"Shut up," Jeremy pulled off one shoe, "shut up," then the other, "shut up." He kissed her again, more forcefully this time, he'd been wanting, needing, to do that all evening. His hands cupped her face as their tongues wrestled. He pulled back for air. 

"This," he gestured at her dressing gown, "is beautiful. Really. But it's gotta go." he slipped his hand down, loosening the belt of her gown, pulling it apart. He let it fall to the carpet and left her standing there, in just a tight tank top and tiny PJ shorts.

"I think you're too overdressed for this party Hollywood." She smirked as she slipped her hands under the drenched lapels of his dinner jacket, slipping it off his shoulders. It hit the floor in a heavy wet heap.

"Yes Ma'am I believe I am." He smiled as he pulled on his tie to loosen it. Grace had already started unbuckling his belt. Her fingers brushed against his hardening length and she felt him twitch in response.

"All this has gotta go!" Grace pulled his belt out of the loops it was threaded through and she watched as Jeremy's eyes widened. 

She grabbed hold of his loose tie, pulling him against her and then pulling the tie over his head. Grace needed him to be naked quicker than he was managing on his own. He was always useless with buttons. 

"Here, let me." She said as he fumbled with the small fastenings on his vest. His fingers were good at some things but bad at others. He smiled at her and moved his hands aside, knowing her impatience was getting the better of her and finding it a complete turn on. His hands moved to her ass, holding her against him, allowing her to feel how hard he was for her. 

"Finally!" She exclaimed as the last button was undone and she could push the garment off his shoulders. It landed on top of his jacket, allowing her to work on removing his shirt. 

Now it was Jeremy's turn to be impatient. He didn't wait for Grace to be done with his shirt and he grinned as he lifted her up into his arms, pulling her legs up around him. He carried her to the nearest surface, her drawer chest, and wasn't exactly gentle as he thrust her against it. Kissing her and pulling her ever closer. She ran her hand down his shirt, pulling it up out of his pants, popping open the buttons. Grace trailed her hand down his chest, lingering on the hair he was finally allowed to grow there. He'd done so many movies just before she met him, that all involved him being shirtless on screen, it meant that he'd had to constantly keep his chest hair shaved off. Now he could grow it again she was loving running her hands over his chest and feeling the soft hair there. She pushed the shirt off his back, turning her attention to his pants. Jeremy's eyes grew wider when he felt her hand brush against his hard on as she unzipped him. Grace smiled, knowing that it was all for her. Jeremy pulled Grace's tight tank top over her head, freeing her full breasts. She shivered as his hands caressed her curves, he started at her waist and worked his way up to her breasts, her nipples hardening under his touch. She moaned at the feel of his hands on her, her head lolling back in the ecstasy of the moment. He was finally here, touching her the way she'd needed to be touched for the last few weeks. Grace bit her lip to stop herself from screaming. Her heart pounded deep in her chest as his hand moved down over her stomach. When she felt them stop against the elastic of her shorts she gave him a look that begged him to continue. 

"These have gotta come off too, Gracie." He said, dipping his hand inside. Grace could hardly believe that the moans currently filling the tiny bedroom were coming from her mouth. Jeremy knelt down in front of Grace, keeping eye contact with her the entire time. He slipped both the shorts and her panties down. "That's the best view I've seen in a long time, Gracie." He muttered. 

Grace felt his hot breath against her naked flesh. She reached out her hand, running it through his wet hair, grown longer for his recent movie. She liked it, it meant she had something to hold on to, to make him stay where she needed him. "Don't you dare move, Hollywood!" She braced herself on top of the chest as Jeremy ran his hand up her leg, lifting it to his shoulder. He let his fingers trail downwards from her knee. He grazed his short nails against the inside of her thigh, sending little shivers up her spine. When he reached her core he stopped for a moment, looking up at her. Giving her the same panty losing grin he had at the party. But her panties were now long gone. Grace smiled back, her eyes pleading with him not to stop.

Feeling his lips at her centre, planting delicate kisses against her lower lips, licking, probing her with his tongue, it was too much and not enough all at the same time. She dug her fingers into Jeremy's hair, pushing him closer to her, forcing his tongue deeper inside her. She was losing herself more and more in every sensation. She could hear the rain outside pelting against the bedroom window. It seemed to make everything more intense. She could taste the alcohol from when he'd kissed her. She forced herself to look down at him between her legs and found him staring at her. He loved seeing her come undone by his actions. Grace's senses all seemed to heighten, she could smell his scent, the mixture of his cologne, rain water and sweat. 

Jeremy grabbed her ass with both hands, pulling her ever closer to his mouth. She felt her thighs begin to shake, her whole body tingling with every swipe of his tongue, his hands firmly holding her in place. Grace could feel the warmth rising inside her. A deep guttural moan escaped her throat as Jeremy's tongue pushed her over the edge. Her body shaking, sweat trickling down her back. 

Grace opened her eyes, pulling Jeremy up off the floor and into her arms. She crushed her lips against his. Tasting herself was never something she thought she would ever get used too, until that first time when he had offered his fingers to her. Sucking on them like she had done his cock. She smiled, grabbing on to his arms as he lifted her up off the cabinet, carrying her back to the bed, throwing her on top of it. She looked up at him, her body still humming in pleasure from her earlier orgasm. Her eyes watched with interest as he slipped off his pants and boxer briefs.

Jeremy wrapped Grace up in his arms, rolling them and pulling her on top of him. He ran his fingers through her long hair. Grace shifted her hips, kneeling whilst still being in his lap, needing to find her own position. She pulled him to sitting position and wrapped her arms around his neck, caressing the long hair at the back of his neck, smiling to herself as he kissed a trail up her neck. They locked lips, softly at first. Grace feeling Jeremy's film body pressed against her and his cock at her opening. She guided Jeremy until he was deep inside her, spreading his heat within. As Grace moved faster Jeremy placed his hands on her back, down her spine, fingers teasing her as he went. She groaned, loving the feel of his hands anywhere on her body. Those nobbly fingers taking her to places she'd never been before. Grace braced herself against him, holding on to his arms, writhing up and down on his cock. Every time he came home to her, this was always how they ended up. Wrapped in each other, shutting out the world outside. Always facing each other, unable to break the connection to each other. 

~

Grace smiled as she opened her eyes. The morning light shining through her window. Her head turned to her clock beside her bed, only 6am. She looked around, wondering if Jeremy had already left. She hoped not but he had that was a booty call she would happily cater to again. Her head fell back onto the bed and she couldn't suppress a sigh at the memory of last night. She ran her hand over the space next to her, it was cold. But she could still smell his scent all around her, on the sheets, and on her skin. Grace closed her eyes for a moment, images of the last few hours filling her mind. 

"Morning." Grace opened her eyes quickly, seeing Jeremy standing in the doorway, wearing just the shirt and pants that he had worn the night before. He walked towards the bed, in his hand was a tray. She peered over the top of it, smiling. "Breakfast for you Miss Gracie." He said, walking around to Grace's side of the bed. 

Jeremy placed the tray on her lap, seeing her smile. Knowing that in a moment that beautiful smile would be gone.

"How long do we have?" She asked, not really wanting to know the answer. She lowered her head to look at the food on her tray and not at him. But her eyes looked up as she heard a car honk its horn outside. "I see." 

Jeremy ran his hand down her cheek, lifting up her chin to look at him. "Grace," he whispered. "I'm sorry. You know I'd rather be here with you even for just a minute more." 

She held his hand against her face, not wanting the touch to end. 

"I know. We wasted so much time last night fighting over nothing!" 

"I shouldn't have left." Jeremy said. 

Grace smiled. 

"I'm glad you came back, Hollywood." 

"Eat your breakfast!" Jeremy said as he stood up, leaning down to kiss her forehead. 

He smiled back at Grace as he walked back towards the door, stopping in the doorway to check she was eating.

Grace looked down at the tray. Her heart sinking a little at the thought of Jeremy leaving her again. Thinking that she should have gotten used to it by now. But she could never get used to saying goodbye. Even with the calls and texts and skype, it wasn't enough. She lifted up a glass of orange juice, taking a sip. Grace smiled at the food, well, what there was of it. A plate of scrambled eggs and some bacon. She shifted the plate to get to her fork and she noticed something else next to it. A key! She got out of bed, slipping on her dressing gown that had been left discarded on the floor. 

Grace followed Jeremy downstairs and got to the hall just in time to see him at the door. "What's this?" She asked, stepping onto the carpeted floor, holding the key in her hand. 

Jeremy smirked, making her drop all her defences.

"I figured since you never answered my question about moving into my place in LA that I'd make a decision."

"Oh really? And what if I don't like your decision?" She asked, moving towards him. "And what is this decision?"

Grace leant against the banister, her eyes taking in the fact that he had now put his vest and jacket back on but fastened neither. The buttons clearly proving too much of a challenge. She twirled the key several times around her fingers.

"That is the key to my place, here in town. If moving to LA is too much, at least I'll know where you are when you're here!"

Jeremy moved closer, wrapping his arms around her, taking the key out of her hand.

"And I can think about you, sleeping naked in my bed, wearing my shirts," he whispered, "making them smell like you so it drives me crazy when I put them on." He nuzzled against her neck, breathing her in. Committing it all to memory.

Jeremy allowed himself a moment just to look at her, cupping her cheek in his big hand. He noticed she was wearing that sexy dressing gown again, and nothing underneath. He trailed his hand down her chest, over her stomach, until the tie that held it together loosened. A heavy breath escaped her lips. Feeling his touch again made her want to beg him to stay. "Oh Gracie. Why you gotta do this to me?" He asked her, moving closer so she could feel the effect she was having.

Knowing they had no time she pulled her dressing gown closed and asked the question on her lips. "So, let me get this straight. You want me to move in to your place, here? Even though you're hardly here between working away and living in LA?" Grace appreciated the thought but she knew she would hardly ever see him. And when all she wanted was to see more, not less of him, she couldn't understand why he would ask her this.

He brushed a fallen hair away from her eyes and smiled. 

"I decided that when I come home from working, that this will be my home again. Our home." Jeremy whispered. "My home with you." 

Grace swallowed hard as though she was trying to keep her heart inside her. She wasn't expecting this. 

The car outside honked its horn. Somewhat ruining the moment. 

Jeremy sighed, knowing that it was time to go.

"Gracie, I have to go. If it's that hard a decision then just at least do me the honor of thinking about it!" 

Grace looked at him. All his Hollywood persona fading away. He really was just Jeremy from Modesto. The man she had fallen in love with and the man she was going to live with. 

"I never said it was a hard decision." She chided him. "I'm just shocked. Of course I'll move in with you Jeremy!"

He couldn't hide his smile and he pulled her to him, wrapping those big arms around her tightly. She loved his hugs. She would miss them when he was gone. 

"You won't regret it Gracie, I promise." He whispered in her ear before kissing her cheek.

The car outside honked again, making Grace even more reluctant to let go. She could feel tears welling up in her but she didn't want to cry. The driver held down on the horn and Grace could no longer contain her anger. "I'm gonna rip that thing out and shove it up that drivers ass if he honks one more time!" She shouted. 

Jeremy pulled back, laughing that dirty laugh of his, surprised by Grace's tone. He opened out her hand, dropping the key back into her palm. 

"I have to go. You know I don't want to." 

"I don't want you to. But I know you have to. You'll miss your flight!" She said, clutching the key in her hand, whilst holding Jeremy's hand with the other.

Jeremy cupped the side of her face, kissing her softly, resting his forehead against hers.

"Go... Just... Just go!" 

Grace closed her eyes, not wanting to see him leave, just feeling his hand slip away from hers. Then she remembered.

"Wait," she called out. "I forgot about this." 

Grace turned, heading for the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and reached inside.

"I got this for you... For afterwards," She pulled out the roll of cookie dough. 

"Maybe you could eat it on the plane?" She asked, running over to hand it to him.

Jeremy smiled, looking down at the cold dough. "Why don't you keep it for next time? We'll have it together?" He turned and headed for the door and then stopped. "Oh, there's something else."

Gracie's eyes lit up, hoping he had changed his mind about leaving.

"You might want to go back to sleep. Your going to have a busy day."

"Oh really?" She asked with a smirk, getting her hopes up.

"Yeah..." His voice trailed off as Grace's cell began to ring. "You should get that." 

She turned, picking up her cell from the counter behind her. Grace looked down at it, seeing that it was a blocked number. She swiped her finger across the screen, bringing it to her ear.

"Hello,"

Jeremy stood in front of her, that same grin on his face from earlier, making Grace feel nervous. 

"Hi Mrs.... I'm sorry, Valerie. Today? Lunch? That would be perfect. At the restaurant. I'll see you then. Bye." 

Grace hung up, staring at her phone, in shock. 

"That was... your mother. She wants to meet me properly, for lunch."

"She wants to get to know you." Jeremy squeezed Grace's shoulders, trying to instill her with confidence he knew she needed. 

"But... She's your mom." Grace spluttered out. 

Jeremy smiled. "She's gonna be as crazy about you as I am." He kissed Grace's forehead and before she knew it he'd walked through the door, closing it behind him. Grace blinked several times, realising he was gone. She grabbed her coat off the hook behind the door and ran out to the car. 

She caught him up, not even caring that she was showing a lot of leg. Her neighborhood was pretty private, and her neighbours didn't really bat an eyelid about who they saw coming in and out. 

"Wait!" She called out, just as he was about to get into the car. 

Grace flung her arms around Jeremy, the driver getting a good view as her coat rode up around her thighs. Grace didn't care. Her fingers trailed through his hair as she kissed him, properly. 

"I love you, Hollywood." She whispered, she'd not said it to him before but it felt right. She let him go, not sure what response to expect.

"I love you too, Gracie." Jeremy said, catching her off guard. 

She let him go and he climbed into the back of the car. Her arms felt instantly empty. She walked back into the house as the car pulled away, not wanting to see him leave.


End file.
